Toddler shoots 1-year-old shot sibling in car; Mother charged

BATON ROUGE - Police say a Baton Rouge mother was charged with second degree cruelty to juveniles after a 1-year-old child was shot in the face, reportedly accidentally, by a sibling.

Investigators said she was on facebook when her child managed to find a 357 and shoot her other child in the face.

According to arrest records, the shooting happened in the parking lot of a Family Dollar store on North Foster Drive around 7:09 p.m. Tuesday.

Police say 23-year-old Crystal Kinchen asked a friend to drive her and her two children to a relative's home after having an argument with her boyfriend. During the drive, the group stopped at the Family Dollar store on North Foster Drive. While her friend was inside the store, Kinchen said she heard a gunshot but thought it was a firecracker. She then found her daughter on the floor of the vehicle suffering from a gunshot wound.

The child was taken to Our Lady of the Lake Hospital by a personal vehicle rather than EMS, according to authorities. News 2 crews observed investigators, along with a crime scene unit, arrive at the hospital a short time after the shooting.

Police say the child is in stable but serious condition.

Arrest documents say Kinchen admitted to being preoccupied on her cellphone at the time of the shooting.

Kinchen's friend admitted to having a weapon in the car located between the driver's seat and center console. Police say the gun was accessible to the child when he was alone with his mother.

Kinchen was charged with second degree cruelty to juveniles and was booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison. Bond was set at $15,000. As of Friday, Nov. 18 Kinchen has bonded out of prison.